Amendment proposed to convert Puerto Rico thermal units

Puerto Rico power utility PREPA has requested an amendment to the integrated resource plan (IRP) to convert units at the San Juan power plant to dual fuel.

The proposal was presented to energy regulator PREB and targets the conversion of units 7, 8, 9 and 10, which currently use fuel oil, to also burn natural gas.

“Given the lack of baseload from hydro or nuclear, and the projected retirement of coal-fired generation in 2027, the best option for environmentally compliant base load during the integration of renewable sources of generation would be natural gas-fired generating units,” PREPA said.

The IRP, approved by the watchdog in 2020, calls on the utility to retire the four units within five years.

PREPA has budgeted US$139mn for the conversion, which it says would add 237MW and not require significant additional infrastructure.

“Currently, a natural gas supply station is located adjacent to the north side of the San Juan power plant, which already supplies natural gas to units 5 and 6.”

Execution would take five to 10 years and incur no cost to consumers, according to PREPA.

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